Side Trip to Midlothian

Side Trip to Midlothian

In spite of the finest stone carving in Scotland at Rosslyn Chapel, associations with Sir Walter Scott, outstanding castles, and miles of rolling countryside, Midlothian, the area immediately south of Edinburgh, for years remained off the beaten tourist path. Perhaps a little in awe of sophisticated Edinburgh to the north and the well-manicured charm of the stockbroker belt of nearby upmarket East Lothian, Midlothian was quietly preoccupied with its own workaday little towns and dormitory suburbs.

Roslin

Rosslyn Chapel has always beckoned curious visitors intrigued by the various legends surrounding its magnificent carvings, but today it pulses with tourists as never before. Dan Brown's bestselling novel The Da Vinci Code has made visiting this Episcopal chapel (services continue to be held here) an imperative stop for many of its enthusiasts. Whether you are a fan of the book or not—and of the book's theory that the chapel has a secret sign that can lead you to the Holy Grail—this is a site of immense interest. Originally conceived by Sir William Sinclair (circa 1404-80) and dedicated to St. Matthew in 1446, the chapel is outstanding for the quality and variety of the carving inside. Covering almost every square inch of stonework are human figures, animals, and plants. The meaning of these remains subject to many theories; some depict symbols from the medieval order of the Knights Templar and from Freemasonry. The chapel's design called for a cruciform structure, but only the choir and parts of the east transept walls were completed. Roslin. Roslin is on the A701 to Penicuik/Peebles. 0131/440-2159. www.rosslyn-chapel.com. £7. Mon.-Sat. 9:30-6, Sun. noon-4:45

Edinburgh Crystal Visitor Centre

There are fine views of the Pentland Hills beyond the town of Penicuik, but its chief attraction is the Edinburgh Crystal Visitor Centre. Here you can learn the history of glassmaking, see craftspeople at work, and learn about the skills required to transform molten glass into exquisite pieces. Sign up for the tour and you can watch craftspeople cut a pattern onto a crystal tumbler. Your name is then engraved on the glass, and you take it home as a souvenir (£12.50 charge for the tumbler). Reservations are recommended for the tours. There are also shops and a restaurant.

Eastfield, Penicuik. 01968/675128. www.edinburgh-crystal.com. Free. Mon.-Sat. 10-5, Sun. 11-5.

The Pentlands

This unmistakable range of hills begins almost in the suburbs of the city. The longest artificial ski slope in Europe, the Midlothian Ski Centre at Hillend (Fairmilehead. 0131/445-4433. ski.midlothian.gov.uk) has an all-year chairlift (£1.80) that provides magnificent views, even for nonskiers. It operates Monday through Saturday from 9:30 AM to 9 PM, and on Sunday from 9:30 to 7. There are several other access points along the A702 running parallel to the hills—the best is Flotterstone, where you'll find a parking lot, pub, and quiet roads for walking.

Scottish Mining Museum

The Scottish Mining Museum, in the former mining community of Newtongrange, provides a good introduction to the history of Scotland's mining industry. You can go on shift as a coal miner and experience life at the (virtual reality) coal face. There are also interactive displays and "magic helmets" that bring the tour to life and relate the power that the mining company had over the lives of the individual workers here, in Scotland's largest planned mining village. This frighteningly autocratic system survived well into the 1930s—the company owned the houses, shops, and even the pub. The scenery is no more attractive than you would expect, though the green Pentland Hills hover in the distance.

A7, Newtongrange. 0131/663-7519. www.scottishminingmuseum.com. £4.95. Mar.-Oct., daily 10-5; Nov.-Feb., daily 10-4; last admission 1½ hrs before closing.

Borthwick Castle

Set in green countryside with scattered woods and lush hedgerows, the village of Borthwick is dominated by Borthwick Castle, which dates from the 15th century and is still occupied. Mary, Queen of Scots, came to this stark, tall, twin-towered fortress on a kind of honeymoon with her ill-starred third husband, the earl of Bothwell. Their already-dubious bliss was interrupted by Mary's political opponents, often referred to as the Lords of the Congregation, a confederacy of powerful nobles who were against the queen's latest liaison and who instead favored the crowning of her young son, James. Rather insensitively, they laid siege to the castle while the newlyweds were there. Mary subsequently escaped disguised as a man. She was not free for long, however. It was only a short time before she was defeated in battle and imprisoned. She languished in prison for 21 years before Queen Elizabeth I of England (1558-1603) signed her death warrant in 1587. Bothwell's fate was equally gloomy: he died insane in a Danish prison.

Borthwick. 1 mi south of Gorebridge. 01875/820514. www.borthwickcastlehotel.com. Free. Tour hrs vary.

Crichton Castle

Crichton Castle, a Historic Scotland property, stands amid attractive, rolling Lowland scenery, interrupted here and there by patches of woodland. Crichton was a Bothwell family castle; Mary, Queen of Scots, attended the wedding here of Bothwell's sister, Lady Janet Hepburn, to Mary's brother, Lord John Stewart. The curious arcaded range reveals diamond-faceted stonework; this particular geometric pattern is unique in Scotland and is thought to have been inspired by Renaissance styles on the Continent, particularly Italy. The oldest part of the work is the 14th-century keep (square tower). You can reach this castle from Borthwick Castle by taking a peaceful walk through the woods (there are signposts along the way).

B6367, near Pathhead, 7 mi southeast of Dalkeith. 01875/320017. www.historic-scotland.gov.uk. £2.20. Apr.-Sept., daily 9:30-6.30.